Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan

Not to be confused with Kurdistan Democratic Party (Iran).

The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI; Kurdish: حیزبی دێموکراتی کوردستانی ئێران, romanized: Hizbi Dêmukrati Kurdıstani Êran, HDKA; Persian: حزب دموکرات کردستان ایران, romanized: Ḥezb-e Demokrāt-e Kordestān-e Īrān), also known as the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), is an armed leftist separatist movement of Kurds in Iran, exiled in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq with branch offices in Europe.^[26]

Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan حیزبی دێموکراتی کوردستانی ئێران
Secretary-General	Mustafa Hijri
Spokesperson	Khalid Azizi[1]
Founder	Qazi Muhammad
Founded	16 August 1945; 79 years ago (1945-08-16)
Headquarters	Democrat Castle, Koya, Iraqi Kurdistan (closed since September 2023)[2] Mahabad, Iran (historic)
Women's wing	Kurdistan Democratic Women's Union
Membership	1,200[3] (2008)
Ideology	Kurdish separatism[4] Democratic socialism[4] Social democracy[4] Progressivism[4] Secularism[5] Anti-imperialism[6] (historic) Conservative traditionalism[7] (historic)
Political position	Centre-left[8] Left-wing[9] (historic)
National affiliation	Congress of Nationalities for a Federal Iran (2005–present) National Council of Resistance of Iran (1981–1985)[10] United Front of Progressive Parties (1946–1948)[11]
International affiliation	Socialist International (Consultative member) Progressive Alliance Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
Website
pdki.org
Politics of Iran Political parties Elections

Military Wing: PDKI Peshmerga
Leaders	Qazi Muhammad (1940s)[12]
Dates of operation	1945–1946 1966–1967 1977–1978[13] 1979–1996 2016–present
Active regions	Kurdistan Region; Kurdistan Province and West Azerbaijan Provinces of Iran
Size	12,750 infantry and cavalry (1946 estimate)[12] 10,000–25,000 (1979–1983 estimate)[14] 7,000–10,000 regulars plus 14,000–20,000 part-time guerillas (1980 estimate)[15] 12,000 Peshmergas along with 60,000 armed peasants (1982 estimate)[16] 1,500 (1996 estimate)[13] 1,200–1,800 (2008 estimate)[3]
Allies	Soviet Union (1945–1991)[17] France (1973–1989) Iraq (1980–1988)[18] Non-state allies: HDK (sometimes) PAK Patriotic Union of Kurdistan[14][19] Komala (1982−1984;[20] since 2012)[21] People's Mujahedin (1981–1985)[10] Fedai Guerrillas (1979–1981)[22] Tudeh Party (1940s–1950s)[23]
Opponents	Imperial State of Iran (1945–1979) Interim Government of Iran (1979) Islamic Republic of Iran (1979−present) Non-state opponents: Komala (1984−1991)[24] HDK (sometimes) PKK (sometimes)[25]

It is the oldest of all Kurdish parties, which are fighting for Kurdish rights in Iran. It is banned and declared a terrorist organization in Iran and thus not able to operate openly.^[27][28] Over the years the group has shifted its focus from an independent Kurdish state to autonomy or the implementation of a federal system in Iran.^{[29][30][31][16]}

Since 1979, KDPI has waged a persistent guerrilla war against Iran. This included the 1979–1989 Kurdish insurgency, its 1989–1996 insurgency and the recent clashes in 2016. Another noteable action is the 1967 Kurdish revolt in Iran.^[26]

History

Early years

On 16 August 1945, Qazi Muhammad founded the party under the name Kurdistan Democratic Party (PDK) in Mahabad, Iran.^[32] On 22 January 1946, the Republic of Kurdistan would be declared, of which he formally became president. The republic lasted less than a year before the USSR's occupation of Iran ended and the Imperial Iranian Army under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi conquered the short-lived Kurdish state on 15 December 1946.^[33] After the fall of the republic, many PDK members were arrested and executed by the Iranian Government, including Muhammad, nearly ending the party.^[34]

After Qazi Muhammad's death

After the collapse and death of legendary leader Qazi Muhammad the party had to experience a long and difficult recovery process.

The collapse led to the PDK becoming reliant on the Tudeh Party, until the party saw a short revival under the anti-Shah administration of Mohammad Mosaddegh (1951–53), but was again weakened when Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi took over the country in the 1953 Iranian coup d'état.^[35]

The party’s first conference after the fall was held in 1955 and was an important step towards restoring its independence and popular support. The conference insisted on the independence of the party from other organizations, effectively ending relations with the Tudeh. Jalil Gadani, a long-time member of the party, recalls that during the conference the word Iran was added, renaming it PDKI.^[35]

In 1958, the PDKI was on the verge of unifying with the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), but failed after it was dismantled by the SAVAK secret police. The remnants of the PDKI continued to support the KDP until the Shah began aiding the KDP in its fight against the Iraqi government, which had previously overthrown the Hashemite dynasty. In return for the Shah's aid, the KDP decreased its cooperation with the PDKI.^[36]

Later the PDKI reorganised itself, marginalising its pro-KDP leader Abdullah Ishaqi, letting new communist and nationalist members join, and forming the Revolutionary Committee to continue the fight against the Iranian government. The Committee began an unsuccessful revolt in March 1967, which ended after 18 months of fighting and forced the party to retreat into exil in Iraqi Kurdistan.^[32][34][36]

After reforms by new leader, Abdulrahman Ghassemlou, the PDKI renewed its struggle and fought alongside Islamist and Marxist movements against the Shah, culminating in the 1979 Iranian Revolution.^[37][36]

During the Islamic Republic of Iran

Khomeini's new Islamic Republic, however, refused the Kurdish demands for civil rights and further suppressed the PDKI and other Kurdish parties, even going so far as to declare a ‘holy war’ on the Kurds of Iran. This resulted in the deaths of over 10,000 Kurds.^[38] The PDKI continued its activities mainly in exile, hoping to achieve "Kurdish national rights within a Democratic Federal Republic of Iran".^[34]

In 1981,during the Iran–Iraq War, Ba'athist Iraq supported the party in the Iranian cities of Nowdesheh and Qasr-e Shirin by providing weapons.^[39] With that, the Iraqi government under Saddam Hussein, hoped to instrumentalize the party against the Iranians. The PKDI hopes were to establish an autonomous Kurdish entity in Iran. However, the Iranian forces staged a series of debilitating attacks against the KDPI, leaving them a "marginal military factor during much of the Iran–Iraq War".^[39]

Vienna assassination

On 13 July 1989, the then PDKI leader Abdulrahman Ghassemlou arrived in Vienna with his delegation to have talks with Iranian diplomats regarding the terms of reconciliation between the central government in Tehran and the Kurds. Those were not the only talks with Iran held in Vienna. After they entered the conference hall and the talks started, the Iranian "diplomats" took out automatic firearms and murdered all of the members of the Kurdish delegation, including Ghassemlou.^[40]

Mykonos restaurant assassinations

Sadıq Şerefqendi's murder became an international incident between Germany and Iran. On 17 September 1992, PDKI leaders Sadegh Sharafkandi, Fettah Abduli, Humayûn Erdelan and their translator Nûri Dêkurdi were assassinated at the Mykonos Greek restaurant in Berlin, Germany.^[41] In the Mykonos trial, the courts found Kazem Darabi, an Iranian national who worked as a grocer in Berlin, and Lebanese Abbas Rhayel, guilty of murder and sentenced them to life in prison. Two other Lebanese, Youssef Amin and Mohamed Atris, were convicted of being accessories to murder. In its 10 April 1997 ruling, the court issued an international arrest warrant for Iranian intelligence minister Hojjat al-Islam Ali Fallahian^[42] after declaring that the assassination had been ordered by him with knowledge of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Ayatollah Rafsanjani.^[43]

1996 unilateral ceasefire

In 1996, the PDKI had to declare a unilateral ceasefire, after being hard hit by relentless Iranian attacks.^[44]

Modern era

In 1997, the party's call for abstaining the presidential election remained largely ignored by Kurdish citizens in Iran and amid a high turnout in Kurdistan Province, a large number voted for Mohammad Khatami.^[45]

2006 party split

From 1992-2004, Abdullah Hassanzadeh was the secretary-general for the PDKI. In 2004 Mustafa Hijri took charge. During Hijri's time as the secretary-general several members all over the world and in Iraqi Kurdistan expressed their dissatisfaction with his work. In the 13th congress in November 2006 party members told Hijri to back down from his position, but he rejected, which ultimately led to led to months of intra-party negotiations aimed at avoiding a split and reaching a compromise with him. Hijri rejected all offers and on 1 December 2006 the Kurdistan Democratic Party (HDK) was founded after it split from the Hijri's PDKI.

2016 renewing of the armed struggle

In 2016, the organization announced it was reviving its armed struggle following the death of Farinaz Khosravani and subsequent Mahabad riots.^[46] The Kurdistan Freedom Party and Komala declared their support for the announcement - which led to the Western Iran Clashes in 2016.^[44] In wake of the clashes, secretary-general Hijri, called Iran a 'Shiite ISIS'.^[47]

In the same year an Iranian agent planted a bomb near the party's headquarter, the Democrat Castle, which led to the deaths of 6 HDK and KDPI members.^{[citation needed]}

2018 missile attack on the party's headquarter

On 8 September 2018 the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force launched seven Fateh-110 missiles at the Democrat Castle in Koya while a HDK meeting was underway. The missiles got a direct hit on where the meeting was taking place at the Democrat Castle killing a total of 18 HDK and KDPI members. 50 HDK/KDPI members were injured, including HDK leaders Xalıd Ezizi and Mustafa Mewlûdi. A number of important members and commanders were killed, including Mihemed Hesenpûr, Nesrin Hedad and Rehman Piroti.^{[citation needed]}

2022 attack on Koya

In 2022, the IRGC and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sent ballistic missiles and several Shahed drones which attacked a school at Azadi Settlement. The ballistic missiles nearly hit the school but instead got a hit beside the school which killed in total 17 teachers and parents, and 1 child. After the attacks on the school Iranian military helicopters were flying around the area and released triangle spikes which made it hard for cars to drive between the school, the Azadi Settlement, the Amiriya Settlement and Democrat Castle. Similar attacks continued the following days and casualties had increased to 18 deaths and 62 injuries, as of October 4 2022. On November 14, Iranian airstrikes on Koya and the party headquarters continued, killing at least two people and injuring 10 other KDPI members. As a result of the attacks 72 civilians and KDPI members were injured and 37 civilians and KDPI members were killed. Further Iranian missile strikes on 21 November 2022 destroyed more houses in Koy Sanjaq.^{[citation needed]}

Reunification

Both groups, the PDKI and HDK, reunited on August 21, 2022 and resumed their political and military activities under the name of the PDKI.^[48]

New leading team

The party's leadership is the Executive Board. The board consists of 12 members and is being led by Mustafa Hijri. The Executive Board Abroad has 6 members, namely: Kwestan Gadani, Azad Azizi, Mohammad Rasoul Karimi, Aso Saleh, Kawe Abdali and Rahim Mohammedzadeh.^{[citation needed]}

Military wing

PDKI Peshmerga in 2013

The military wing of the PDKI are called Peshmerga, like the Peshmerga of the Kurdistan Region, or PDKI Peshmerga. Hyeran Jo of Texas A&M University classifies the KDPI fighters as "compliant rebels", i.e. rebels that kill fewer than 100 people and refrain from killing for more than half of their operating years.^[49]

Ethics

According to Jo, in order to gain domestic and international legitimacy, the KDPI denounces violence against civilians, claiming commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Geneva Convention Article 3, and as of 2007 is one of the signatories to the Geneva Call's ban on anti-personnel mines.^[49]

PDKI congresses

The PDKI has held nineteen congresses. These occurred in 1945, 1955, 1964, 1973, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022 and 2025.^[50]

During the 20th Congress of the Socialist International, held at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City (9–11 September 1996), the PDKI was given the status of observer member. In 2005, the PDKI's membership was elevated to consultative member status.

PDKI Headquarters over the years

PDKI has had a lot of different headquarters including in both Iranian Kurdistan and Iraqi Kurdistan, here is a list of all the Headquarters that PDKI has had over the years:

• Mahabad (1945 - 1968)
• Qandil Mountains (1968 - mid 1993)
• Degala Settlement (1993 - 1998) estimated
• Democrat Castle (1993 - 2023)
• Koy Sinjaq (1993–present)

Secretaries-General

• Qazi Muhammad (1945–1947)
• Ahmed Tewfiq (1947–1973)
• Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou (1973–1989)
• Sadegh Sharafkandi (1989–1992)
• Abdullah Hassanzadeh (1992–2004)^[51]
• Mustafa Hijri (2004–)